A Pirate's Life for Me
by Okori Yo
Summary: What happens when Captain Jack Harkness meets Captain Jack Sparrow? Utter chaos! Doctor Who and Pirates of the Caribbean crossover, rated for yaoi and violence
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Sand, Pirates and Rum

Picking himself up off of the hard metal floor of the TARDIS, Captain Jack Harkness winced and rubbed at his bruised ribs. As usual, the time machine had come out of the time vortex hard, sending it's passengers sprawling to the floor. Brushing some dust from his close cropped black hair, the man glanced over at his companions. The Doctor was hunched over the monitor set into the console of the TARDIS, checking out their surroundings. Rose had disappeared into the back rooms to change into something that would fit the time period.

Strolling over to the Doctor, Jack asked, "So, where are we?"

"Somewhere in the late 16th century, give or take fifty years. I can't get a good reading on our location in time." Scowling at the screen, the Time Lord sighed and continued. "However, we appear to be on Earth, somewhere in the Caribbean. Glancing at the other man, he flashed a smile just as Rose came through the back door.

"Alright then, read to go?" the Doctor asked, straightening his leather jacket. Despite the humid climate, the Time Lord refused to change his outfit, even though he would stand out like a sore thumb. Rose, on the other hand, had changed into a low-necked white dress, and had put her blonde hair up in a ponytail. Jack had opted to shed his own vest and go out in a white shirt and black pants. He would be hot, but hopefully wouldn't stand out too much. Grinning at the duo, the Doctor clapped his hands and motioned for Jack to be the first one to leave.

Sighing, the Captain pushed open the double doors of the blue police box and stepped out into the bright afternoon sunlight. The TARDIS had landed on a beach, and Jack took a few steps forward, heading the roar of the surf, the squawking of seagulls, and the sound of the TARDIS taking off…the TARDIS was leaving!

Whirling around, the man stared in astonishment as the blue box flashed, beeped, and faded from sight. Frozen in shock, Jack wondered what had happened. Had they been meaning to strand him on a desert island? Or had something gone wrong with the TARDIS? Brown eyes closed, he thought about his next move. It would be foolish to stay out in the open like this, exposed to any kind of threat. But if he moved too far away, the Doctor and Rose might not be able to find him if they returned. Hearing his stomach rumble, Jack sighed and decided to find something to eat. Opening his eyes, he looked straight into a pair of brown eyes.

"I think I had too much rum…" the other man said, stepping back and letting Jack have a better view of him. The stranger was dressed in a loose white shirt, a worn brown leather vest, and equally worn brown pants and boots. Atop his head was a ragged three-cornered black hat, concealing a red bandana. But his face was the most interesting thing about him. Crafty chocolate brown eyes looked out at the world, framed by dark brown hair that had many braids in them, mostly ending with beads. His beard also ended with two strings of beads, but his moustache was unadorned. A saber also was buckled onto his left hip. All in all, a typical pirate.

"Hi." Jack replied, wondering where in the world the man had come from. Staring defiantly at the pirate, he decided he didn't really care, as long as the other man wasn't bloodthirsty. Pirates in the future often were, and that was the main reason why Jack disliked them.

"Now," the pirate said, strutting around Jack and waving a hand, "I could put ya down to a vision or a horrible nightmare from all the rum I drank earlier, but I think you _just_ might be real. I'm not quite sure, but somehow I don't think one of my nightmares wouldn't be this calm…" Pausing in his monologue, the bearded man leaned in close and whispered, "Say…do you have any more rum?"

This guy was weird…or just drunk. Either way, Jack had no rum on hand, so he just shook his head and back off another pace. The pirate looked mildly disappointed, but shrugged and continued his speech. "Anyway, I'll let you live, or continue to imagine you, or not wake up…" Gazing up at the sky, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, giving Jack time to gaze around. The island seemed fairly large, with plenty of shade from coconut trees and other plants, as well as food. If this man was here, there might be others as well who could give him information and food. Or this pirate had been stranded by his crew.

"By the way, I am Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl. Who are you?" Flourishing the hat and giving a slight bow, the pirate gazed levelly at Jack, obviously expecting some kind of response. "Er….My name is Captain Jack Harkness. Nice to meet you, Jack." He had never expected to meet another person with the same name as him…let alone a captain on a desert island!

"It's _Captain_ Jack." The man muttered, looking annoyed at the lack of title. Shoving the hat back onto his head, Jack Sparrow turned and walked off towards the trees. Not waiting for an invitation, Jack followed him, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt as he went. It was hot here in the tropics! Entering the shade of the palm trees, Jack sighed with relief. He had never handled heat well, and being stranded in a hot area was going to be difficult. Hopefully there was a stream or water source for him to cool down in, if the other Captain would show it to him.

Gazing at the back of the pirate, he wondered just why this Jack was interested in him. He doubted it was because Sparrow was kind-hearted and helped anyone in need, but there must be _some_ reason. Grinning, Jack decided to bug the other man until he gave in and told him, or drew his sword. If the latter happened, Jack would either run away as fast as he could, or try and get another sword and fight the pirate. Raising his chin up slightly to give him a look of authority, the captain jogged up beside Jack Sparrow.

"Hey Captain, can I ask you something?" he asked lightly, with a friendly smile. There was no need to let the older man suspect anything; it would be easier to get answers out of him this way.

"That depends on what the question is, mate." Wagging a finger in Jack's direction, the pirate chuckled and gave him a sly glance.

"Well, I was just curious as to why you want to help a stranger like me. I mean, you aren't even sure I exist." Jack added hastily as the captain came sudden halt and swung towards him. As the other Jack gazed at him silently, the stranded man suddenly felt uncomfortable, a feeling he hadn't felt in ages. Why was he feeling this way?

"Lad, I'm not helping you. I'm _assisting_ you." As Jack gave the pirate a startled glance, he continued with a smile. "There is a major difference between the two. If you had asked me for something and I was giving it to you, that would be helping you. But since you didn't ask for anything and are just following me around, that means I'm assisting you. See the difference?"

As Jack stood there and tried to figure out the riddle of the meaning, Captain Sparrow continued to walk on, pausing once to yell back, "Well, are ya commin' or not?"

- - -

Later that night, the two Jacks sat beside a small fire, each nursing a bottle of rum. Captain Jack was humming a sea shanty and rocking back an forth slightly, brown eyes bloodshot from too much drinking. Jack himself had only drunk about half of the bottle, saving the rest for a later time. He was busy thinking about the Doctor and Rose, wondering if they were ok and if they were coming back to get him. Captain Jack had kindly given him some fruit and some fresh water when they had reached his make-shift camp. Jack had gone and gathered some firewood, lighting it with a spare match he had managed to find on him.

"So…if you a captain, where's your ship?" Jack Sparrow asked lazily, draining his own bottle and tossing it aside. "Or was that box it?"

"No…my own ship exploded a while back…it was intentional though. I did it to save a town from being destroyed." Well, it wasn't exactly the truth, but Jack figured that there was no need to say anything about future technology to this man. He might try and create it…

"Oh, so you mean you acted brave and did something stupid then?" the pirate replied, grinning roguishly. "I've done that too, on occasion. Almost got myself killed, though."

"Same here." Jack said with a sigh, remembering how the Doctor had took him when the German bomb had been about to explode, resulting in him becoming a member of the TARDIS crew. The three of them had gone on many adventures together, and had always watched each other's back. Jack was confident they would return for him once they found out that the TARDIS had screwed up.

"Well then, I think that calls for a toast to our bravery…or stupidity, whichever one you like better. Bottoms up!" Raising his bottle into the air, Captain Jack Sparrow leaned back and gulped back the liquor. Smiling, Jack saluted him with his bottle and followed suit, downing the rest in two swallows. Hiccupping, he then promptly fell backwards and started to snore loudly.

"Hey, lad, wake up."

"Uh…wha' do ya want?" Groaning, he opened his eyes and stared blurrily up at Captain Jack's face, wondering what time it was. The pirate was grinning down at him, brown eyes sparkling in the light of the dying fire.

"Good, you're awake…" Trailing off, he chuckled and leaned closer to Jack, his rum-scented breath hot on the man's face. Through his rum-fogged brain, Jack realized something wasn't right with this picture. When did it get so cool?

Leaning even closer still, so that there was about an inch between them, Sparrow breathed, "Ready for a bit o' fun, lad?" As Jack struggled to figure out what in the seven seas the pirate meant with that remark, the older Jack sat back and unbuttoned his vest, tossing it over a nearby log. He then took off his shirt and boots, leaving his pants on. The hat remained firmly glued on his head, even though it was precariously balanced on an angle.

Realization finally dawned on Jack as the Captain was stripping down. By fun, he meant…oh, well wasn't this getting interesting? Although Jack himself was bisexual, he hadn't slept with a man for a long while. If Sparrow was already undressing, he probably should to. Attempting to sit up resulted in a sharp burst of pain from his wrists and being jerked sharply back to the sand.

"Oh, you think you're so smart, eh?" Jack said between gritted teeth, trying to wriggle his hands loose from the rope that bound them. He had been spread over another log, hands tied above his head to a strong branch and stripped down to his boxers. His legs were spread apart, feet tied separately to two smaller logs on either side of the one he was bound to. So much for a say in the arrangements…

"You're they one who passed out, not me. I decided to assist you by making you feel good." Giving him a sly smile, Captain Jack climbed over the younger man and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Jack sighed and tried once more to shift into a more comfortable position, but was stopped by a harder kiss from the pirate.

"Mmm…" Jack moaned slightly returning the passion with a kiss of his own. They exchanged kisses for a few minutes, each becoming more passionate. Breaking out a particularly deep kiss, Jack muttered, "C'mon, you said this would be fun."

"Aye, but I'm just getting started…" As he shifted and moved father down Jack's body, the time traveller paused to admire his body. Deeply tanned, exposure to the sun had coloured him and even darker brown, and all the time spend on a ship had made his muscles strong and smooth.

Resting his head on the cool bark of the log, Jack felt his boxers being pulled downwards, coming to a halt at his knees. Hearing a soft exclamation from the pirate, Jack smiled and moved his waist from side to side.

"Good boy." Captain Jack praised him, returning to look him in the face. Leaning down, the captain pressed his body against Jack's letting the younger man know that the real fun was about to begin. Disappearing down once again, Sparrow began to run his hands over Jack's body, stopping once he reached a certain area just below his waist. Feeling Jack's tongue on his skin, the man moaned and went hard.

"Yes, that's it lad…" came the hoarse whisper from below. Moaning again, Jack wondered if he could repay the captain's 'kindness'. Probably…

That night, cries of joy came from the island, mixed with screams of pain. The sound carried on the breeze, making the locals uneasy about the inhabitants of the island next to theirs. A plan was made, and all waited for dawn to come…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Meeting the Neighbours

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AHHHHHHH!"

Jack was awoken suddenly with a loud yell from Jack Sparrow. Opening his eyes, he saw why and followed suit with a yell of his own. Their little campsite was surrounded by a large group of people. At least, Jack thought they were people. They looked human, but every inch of them was covered in a white, armour of some sort, with openings only for the eyes and mouth. Captain Jack was busy wrestling with a few of them, rolling around in the sand like a bunch of dogs.

Realizing that he was still tied in the position Jack had put him in the night before, the time traveller gazed up at the thing standing in front of him and smiled nervously. This wasn't good…

- - -

Jack grunted and once again pushed at the boulder in front of him, straining to move it. The amoured things were indeed people, they lived on the island next to where Jack had been stranded. From what he had figured out, they must have heard the pair the night before and thought they were devils come to attack them for displeasing their god, or "Sha-sha" as the natives called it. So they had taken matters into their own hands and had captured the two devils before they could attack the island. After being tied to a pole, Jack had been taken by boat to the natives' island and put to work pushing a boulder. Captain Jack had vanished shortly after knocking out two of the natives back on the first island.

"Ki! Hav sa nat!" the native standing beside Jack shouted, brandishing the whip he carried. Lowering his head, Jack gritted his teeth and shoved the rock with all of his strength, but the lump of earth refused to move. Seeing the man take a step forward, the man tried in vain to move the rock, but to no avail. Jack had been given back his pants, but nothing more. Stripped to the waist, he had been tied to another smaller rock to prevent him from escaping and forced to push the boulder uphill. If he failed to move the rock, he was whipped. Several times.

"Ka!" With the shout the whip lashed out, hitting Jack hard in the back. His brown eyes shut tight, the man moaned softly as the whip landed once more on his bare skin, leaving a bloody slash in it's wake. His back already bore about six whip marks, each bleeding and very sore.

Dropping to his knees, Jack shook his head as the man grabbed what hair he could find and attempted to drag him back onto his feet. Due to the fact that Jack has close-cropped hair, there wasn't much to grab on to. Realizing that Jack wasn't going to push anymore, the native stepped back and started hitting him at random, not caring where the blows fell. Exhausted from spending all day pushing the boulder, Jack raised his arms and covered his head, trying to shield his face from the kiss of the whip. Finally, after losing count of all the marks on his body, Jack passed out, the man still beating him.

Jack was brought back to wakefulness by having cold sea water tossed in his face. Feeling the salt water run into his wound, he screamed in pain, but was silenced by a hard slap to the face. Still moaning in agony, he gazed blurrily up into the face of death itself. Well, it wasn't death come to release him from his earthly roots, but it looked like it. The man leaning over him was wearing a mask made out of an assortment of bones, some weathered and yellow, others shiny and white. A few still had bits of flesh clinging to them. The thing was held together using a form of homemade glue.

"Uhhh…" Feeling sick just looking at mask, Jack turn his head away from the horrible sight. A soft chuckle came from the hole that served as a mouth, also emitting a rancid smell of raw meat, salt, and something Jack couldn't identify. "So you think you can defy us, your masters, eh boy?" came a hoarse whisper from the man. "If you value your worthless life, you better think again!"

Jack gave the man a startled glance, surprised he spoke English. He hadn't been able to understand the other natives before because the TARDIS wasn't around to provide a translation, so finding someone he could understand must be a good sign. The again…maybe not. Either way, Jack vowed to find a way out of this mess and get back to the Doctor and Rose, or at least find Captain Jack. He prided himself on being strong and not needing much help, and being able to survive on his own. He had done that for years, and he wasn't going to stop now just because he had run into a band of abusive natives.

Deciding it would be best to just agree and play along for now, Jack nodded slowly, wincing at the pain in his neck. He had taken quite a beating, and there would be many scars as a result.

"Good boy. Now, I'm gonna hand you over to Otto here, and he'll tell you the law of Avonic Island." Clapping a large hand on Jack's shoulder the man turned and walk back to the tribe of natives who had gathered to watch the spectacle. A small man stepped away from the group, his dark brown skin shining in the light of the setting sun. His face, arms and chest were streaked with yellow paint, forming large Xs when the lines crossed.

Otto crossed over to where Jack lay on the ground and lifted him to his feet by the leather collar that had been attached to him while he was unconscious. Half choking, Jack was dragged down a small path, leaves and flowers slapping at his body. The native might be small, but he sure was strong! Finally, Jack was thrown face-first onto the ground. Spitting out a mouthful of dirt, Jack levered himself to his feet, only to be pushed back down roughly.

"Stay down." the man ordered, his voice deep. Rising to his knees this time, Jack looked around and gasped. The pair was on top of a tall cliff, clear of the trees. A gulf separated the cliff from another, slightly taller one, both red in the dying light. Between the two cliffs was a channel of water, turned a deep blue shade because of the time of day. It would have been an idyllic spot except for the rows of rough cages lines up on the edge of both cliffs. Men sat in them, many bleeding or moaning in pain, all thin and sick-looking.

Pointing towards the nearest cage, Otto said, "You misbehave, you go there. You be good, you stay free. Savvy?"

"Savvy." Jack replied, staring at the cages. Why were there so many men on this island? And where had Captain Jack disappeared to?

"Good. Come." Otto muttered, grabbing the collar and pulling Jack back towards the camp. "Food is ready." Food! At the mention of the word, Jack's stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he had yet to eat that day. Hopefully the food would be something edible, not bark or grass.

Back at the camp, Jack was tied to a tree and left alone, his injuries untreated and his stomach still empty. Hanging his head, he tried to ignore the smell of the meal and the chatter of the natives. His back was in agony, but he resisted the urge to moan. If he was to survive here, he had to at least appear strong. He stood that way for hours, as the natives ate, dance, sang and finally went to sleep.

"Well, you are a sorry sight to see, mate." said a familiar voice from the branch above him.

"Jack!" the time traveller gasped, hardly able to believe his eyes. Silhouetted by the full moon, the pirate looked none the worse for wear after his encounter with the natives.

"_Captain _Jack, lad. Remember that." Sparrow muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Er…yeah, sorry." Jack replied, wondering why the man was so touchy about the title.

"Great. Now that we have that settled, how 'bout we get off of this wretched island?" The man asked, swinging his dangling feet back and forth. The three-pointed hat was planted firmly on his head, and although he looked a bit damp, seemed to be in high spirits.

"Sounds good to me. But…I'm not sure how well I can walk. I took a bit of a beating earlier." Jack confessed, slightly embarrassed. He could stand up, and walk a bit, but running and swimming were out. He just didn't have the strength for it.

"I'm _not_ carrying you. Besides, me boat is just over thataways." Captain Jack said, giving the younger man a stern look and jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"Ok…I can manage."

"Excellent. Let's go." Hopping down off the branch, he proceeded to cut away the bindings and walk off, doing a little jig as he walked. Jack followed slowly after him, stumbling over some tree roots. The man ahead of him glanced back once or twice to check that Jack was still standing, then hurried onwards, forcing his companion to move faster.

Suddenly Captain Jack came to a halt, motioning for Jack to do the same. Slowing down, he crept up beside the pirate and peered over his shoulder. Suppressing a groan, Jack looked around to see if they could leave another way. Right in front of them was the masked man that had spoken to Jack earlier. He was sprawled over some palm leaves, flat on his back, sound asleep.

"Hmmm…." the pirate murmured, turning towards Jack. "I might be able to get past him, but ya can't." he stated, staring the other man in the eye. "But," he continued, raising a finger. "I have a plan that will confuse this lot and allow us to escape. Watch this." Putting two fingers in his mouth, he let out a piercing whistle. As the sound echoed over Avonic Island, the captain pulled jack backwards and into the tangle of vines, leaves and trees. As they picked their way through the forest, yells arose from the camp behind them, altering them to the fact that the natives had woken up.

"Why did you do that for? They're gonna come after us once the realize I'm gone!" Jack hissed as he fought his way through a net of vines blocking his path.

"No, they aren't. Cause the will be busy fighting off my crew." the captain replied with a chuckle, the duo exiting the forest at long last. "See, my ship is right…" the pirate trailed off as he glanced around, obviously looking for something.

The pair were facing the ocean, the surf lapping gently at the shore. There was no ship, not even a hint that one had ever been there. Captain Jack was roaming around looking up and down the beach, searching for his boat. Turning around in a circle, he faced Jack again and shrugged.

"Ya'see, I thought I left the boat here…but it must be on the _other_ side of the island. Let me just check." Digging around in his pocket, he pulled out a battered compass and flipped the top open. Turning around, he held the compass up and waved it in the air. Frowning, he waved it again, and nodded. "There it is. Right over….there!"

Jack turned and looked in the direction the captain had pointed in, just as a large ship with black sails came around a bend. The waves breaking across the bow, the ship looked majestic and proud. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Jack glanced over and saw that the pirate was looking solemnly at him.

"Before you got on the Black Pearl, there are a few things I absolutely _must _tell you. One: Always call me Captain Jack. Captain will work too, but only around my crew. Two: If you want rum, ask me first. Don't listen to what anyone else tell you, just come to me. Three: Ignore the monkey. Don't ask, just do it Four: RUN!"

A second later, a spear shot over Jack's head, landing a few meters away in the sand. Whirling around, Jack saw that a band of natives were staring at them, all holding spears or clubs. At the front was the masked man, a large spear in his hand. Backing away, he faced the ship again and saw that Captain Jack was running full out towards it. Chest out, head back, boots kicking up a large amount of sand and arms flailing like mad, the pirate wasn't wasting any time getting to safety. In Jack's eyes, he looked quite funny. Plus he was staggering a bit. Realizing that he was in danger of being put in the cages, Jack started to run towards the ship as well. He was doing great until he tripped and fell on his face, his back feeling like it was on fire.

"Ouch…" the time traveller muttered, the sand in his open wounds intensifying the pain. Feet pounded past him as the natives went after Captain Jack and his ship, spurred on by shouts from the English man. He was rolled over by a boot toe, his back hurting even more as the sand found its way into the whip marks. Seeing him grimace in pain, the masked man laughed, giving Jack a hard kick in the ribs to add to his discomfort.

As the man rolled around in the sand, trying to catch his breath, Otto strolled over and yanked him to his feet via the collar. Grinning, the native leaned in and muttered, "It's time for the cages, mate!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack Harkness, the Doctor, Rose, Jack Sparrow or the Black Pearl. I do claim the rights to Avonic Island, the natives, and Sha-Sha. If you want to use any, ask my permission first.

Chapter 3: Sha-Sha

Jack was tossed roughly into an empty cage, the natives chuckling as they left. Hearing the word "sha-sha" repeated several times, the time traveller asked himself what this "sha-sha" was. Did it really exist? Or was it just a imaginary god? Well, it seemed like he was going to find out eventually. Leaning back against the bars of the cage, Jack looked around his small prison, realizing this was a good time to catch some sleep. Stretching his legs out as far as he could, Jack closed his eyes and attempted to sleep.

His dreams were full of the Doctor and Rose, the sound of the TARDIS fading in and out throughout it all. Later on, images of Jack appeared, with a flag featuring the skull and crossbones behind him. Eventually, everything faded to black as Jack drifted deeper into slumber.

"Get up. Now!" Jack awoke with a snort as Otto prodded him with a stick through the bars of the cage. The black man was grinning, obviously very happy about something. Chuckling, the small native opened the door and thrust in a stone filled with food. After eyeing the food for a moment, Jack reached out and grabbed the platter, setting it on his knees. Otto grunted and slammed the door shut once again, wandering off to annoy one of the other captives. Jack then noticed that he was the only one who had received food. Not that any of the other prisoners was drooling over it. In fact, the all seemed a bit apprehensive, as if something big was going to happen.

Shrugging, Jack dug into the small meal, making the most of each bite. His wounds were temporarily forgotten as his stomach revelled in having food for the first time in over a day. Burping softly, he shoved the stone aside and waited to see what would happen next.

- - -

After waiting most of the morning for something to happen, Jack got his wish. Hearing boots crunching through the vegetation, Jack looked up just has the English masked man exited the woods. The mask was still in place, and he was being followed by about twenty natives, all carrying long poles. Narrowing his eyes, the man watched as the group came to a stop in front of his cage, Otto bending down and opening the door. "Come." was all he said. Arching an eyebrow, Jack crawled out of the cage, his back screaming in pain. Gritting his teeth, the time traveller straightened up slowly, ignoring the grins on many of the natives' faces.

"Well boy, today is your lucky day! You have been chosen to meet the fabled Sha-Sha, guardian of Avonic Island. Don't you just feel special?" Chosen? Yeah right, he had probably been picked to meet this Sha-Sha the moment he had arrived on the island. Realizing that he had no other choice but to follow along, Jack sighed and gave a cynical smile.

"Oh, I'm honoured that you have picked me out of all these men, sir." Jack said, waving a hand around at all the other cages. "I'll be sure to tell Sha-Sha that you said hello." Laughter from the masked leader and Otto met this last comment as the band of natives surrounded Jack. One gave him a soft push forwards, motioning for him to go towards the cliff. Walking forward, he was immediately flanked by Otto and his leader, both who kept a sharp eye on him. Not that there was anywhere Jack could go to. Natives were behind him, and he wasn't about to do a suicide leap unless he really had to.

As the group moved, Jack realized that they were heading towards a slight depression in the ground. Reaching the area, he saw that it was actually a rough set stairs that led downwards. Where were they going?

Heading down the steps, Jack slipped a few times of the damp stones, but a hand always grabbed his collar and pulled him back to safety. Although the rough handling did nothing to improve his attitude, Jack was grateful that he hadn't fallen to his death. Reaching the bottom, the time traveller found that they were on a wide ledge just above water level. The area was still in shadows, the high cliffs blocking the light of the midday sun. In the centre of the ledge, a ring of blackened stones surrounded a stone pillar. The pillar sparked in the dim light, and jack wondered what it was made out of. He had seen many different kinds of stones during his travels, but nothing like this.

Feeling a hard shove from Otto, Jack strode forward towards the pillar, determined to appear strong. Reality, though, was a different story. His shoulders, back and chest felt like something with sharp claws had attacked them, and his was light-headed from the lack of food and sleep. Ignoring the pain in his back, he stood up straight and waited for further instructions. Just then, the English man walked around in front of him and grabbed his collar, jerking him close.

"Now lad, have you ever heard about the legendary tale of Sha-Sha?" As Jack shook his head, the masked man nodded and continued. "As I thought. Sha-Sha is mythological creature of immense proportions, and it lives in the deepest oceans of the world. Sha-Sha is said to be a pearly white colour, and legend has it is forced to protect those who worship it." Ending his speech, the masked man stepped back and dragged Jack over to the sparkling stone.

As he got closer, Jack saw that the stone was made up of many different rocks, all held together by some unknown substance. As the masked leader shoved him face-first into it, the man realized the sparkly stuff was actually quartz. Why was there a pillar made of quartz in the middle of an island in the middle of nowhere?

Arms wrenched behind his back, Jack gasped with pain as his wrists were bound together with a length of rope. Opening his mouth to protest the treatment he was getting, he instead let out a moan of pain as he was spun around and punched hard in the stomach. "Yes, that's it. Let me hear you beg for mercy!" the masked horror cackled, punching him in the groin this time. Knees buckling, Jack was prevented from falling by a sharp uppercut to the chin.

Staggering backwards, Jack figured he was finished being the model prisioner. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the man in front of him and smiled. Then he charged, head butting the leader in the stomach. As the man doubled over in pain, Jack backed up and kicked him in the shins, adding to his discomfort. The band of natives hadn't moved, but had lowered their poles so they were aimed at Jack.

Regaining his breath, the leader growled, "Li sai uno!" Ka!" There was complete silence for a second as the natives stood there, then all charged at once, their poles at the ready. Staggering from the pain from his injuries, Jack dimly thought he might want to run while he still could. Turing towards the direction of the water, he took a step forward and was immediately knocked off of his feet by about ten pole butts hitting him in the back.

As he fell, Jack rolled over onto his back and kicked savagely at the native who was attempting to crush his head with the wooden pole. The kick caught the boy in the face and sent him reeling back into the mass of other natives, several who paused to catch him. The delay gave Jack the time he needed to roll backwards and onto his feet, his back burning with the imbedded dirt and pebbles. Facing the water, he once more ran towards it, but was brought down by a hard tackle from behind.

"Bad. You very bad!" Otto growled, pinning the time traveler down. Hearing boots crunch on the dirt, Jack looked up to see the leader standing over him. Giving the man a cheerful grin he said, "Hey, I don't mind being put in a cage and all, but all the beatings were getting to me. I think the law calls it abuse. Heard of it?" For a reply, Jack got a swift kick to the side of the head.

Feeling the blood start to flow, Jack shook his head to clear away the pain that threatened to cause him to black out, and was lifted to his feet by Otto. Dragged back to the stone, the man leaned against it while the natives tied him to the rock with vines from the forest. Raising his gaze to the blue sky, Jack drifted in and out consciousness while the natives hooted and hollered and danced around the ring of stones, singing in their own language.

As he waited for the ritual dance to be over, Jack thought about the Doctor and Rose, wishing that he could have at least said goodbye to them. They would miss him, that he knew. Captain Jack probably wouldn't care if he lived or died, but Jack hoped he had his crew had escaped this island and had returned to their normal lives.

When the final notes had faded away, Jack realized it was past sundown. The time had just flown by, and he hoped he hadn't missed anything too important. Lowering his gaze to the band of people that stood in front of him, Jack wondered what was next. Stepping forward, Otto reached out and tied a piece of string to Jack's collar. Attached to the string was a clear stone made of quartz. Brown eyes blinking in confusion, Jack tried to figure out the meaning of the quartz. Was it just a decoration?

Otto strolled over and cut the ropes away, giving Jack a hard shove to make him move. Grumbling under his breath, Jack shuffled forward until he was in front of the masked man. Chuckling, the man grabbed Jack by the collar and led him over to the lip of the ledge, right where the rock met the water. Giving the knot a tug to ensure he hands weren't going to come free, the leader spoke once again.

"Alright, now the real fun begins…" Trailing off, he repeated it in the native tongue, listening to the laughs that locals gave. Extending a hand towards the moon, he whispered, "Oh mighty creature of the deep, hear my prayer. We of Avonic Island thank you for all the protection you have given us, as well as providing a clean source of water and a steady supply of food. Sha-Sha, come to our aid once more and rid us of the filth that defiles our paradise. Rise from the depths of the ocean and feed upon this sacrifice!"

Sha-Sha was the creature that they worshipped? So where all those prisoners up there food for this thing? A chill ran down Jack's spine as the dark waters in front of him started to churn, the while caps reflecting the light of the moon. Smelling the breath of the masked man, he froze as the leader whispered, "Dinner time!"

Realizing that he was going to go for an unplanned swim, Jack took a deep breath as a bunch of the natives picked him up and tossed him into the chaotic waters. As he sank beneath the waves, he heard the sound of the natives yelling and saw them throwing something into the water with him. A flash of light caught his attention and Jack saw that it was a small piece of quartz, similar to the stone around his neck. Sinking further downwards, Jack looked up and saw the moon through the water. It looked so pretty…

Feeling something brush him legs, Jack looked down at froze in horror. A shark had just swam past him. A really, really, really, BIG shark. From his angle, Jack estimated that it was about thirty feet long and six feet wide. It was the biggest shark Jack had ever seen on Earth.

Realizing that he was rapidly running out of air, Jack kicked his legs and tried to go back to the surface. Then the shark bumped into him. It was probably trying to figure out if he was edible or not. Well, he wasn't gonna give it time to figure out. Kicking the fish in the nose, he shot towards the surface, desperately trying to hold onto the last bit of air left. Bursting to the open air, he took a deep breath and swam sideways, hoping to confuse the shark with his erratic movements. Hearing the fish break the surface, Jack dove under as more quartz stones whipped by his head. It was then he mad the connection with the quartz.

Sharks had a habit of going after anything that moved, or was particularly shiny. By throwing quartz into the water, the natives were creating the movement and the moon reflecting off of the stone sis the rest. So that was why the stone had been attached to Jack! Whenever he moved, it would attract the shark!

Cursing in his head, Jack glanced back and saw that that enormous shark had spotted him. Kicking his legs faster, Jack realized he was bleeding. Great, just great. Even if he stopped moving, the blood would lead the shark right to him. That masked man sure knew his way around sharks.

Feeling a large shadow pass over him, Jack looked up through the water, expecting to see another shark. Instead he saw the hull of a ship. What was going on? Glancing back, he jerked his feet out of the way just before the shark had them for dinner. That was a bit too close….

Swimming upwards now, he cursed the fact that he hands were tied behind his back. That slowed him down and made him easier to catch. And he didn't feel like becoming a midnight snack for the shark. Knowing that the shark was still close behind him, Jack broke the surface of the water and looked up. A large ship with black sails was bearing down on him, Captain Jack standing at the bow. The pirate was scanning the waves with his telescope, obviously searching for Jack. As the lens turned on him, the captain lowed the device and ran off, shouting orders. Treading water as best he could, Jack hoped that the pirate wouldn't take too long to get to him.

As the ship passed by Jack, a rope was flung over the side and Captain Jack came sliding down it, a large grin on his face. As he came to a halt near the end of the rope, he called out, "Lovely evenin' for a swim, eh?"

Sighing, Jack swam a bit closer and called back. "Yeah, the water is warm, there is a gigantic shark after me, and my hands are tied behind my back. All in all, it's a perfect swim!" Laughing, the pirate reached down and grabbed Jack around the waist, hauling him partway out of the deadly waters. Looking up, the older man yelled, "Haul away, mates!" The rope jerked, stopped, and started to move steadily upwards. Looking down, Jack gave a yelp as the shark advanced up out of the water, still trying to claim it's meal. Row upon row of teeth surrounding a black pit as the shark's mouth got closer and closer, filling Jack's vision.

Closing his eyes, he hoped the end would be quick, but there snapped open as he was swung into the air and dropped to the deck. He was rolled onto his stomach and his wrists were unbound, then flopped back over. Hearing the splash of water as the shark re-entered the water, Jack sighed with relief. Well, he was alive, although the rough landed had caused the whip marks to re-open and start bleeding again. Groaning, he looked up into Captain Jack's grinning face.

"You look horrible."

"Yeah, being beaten kinda does that to a person."

"Indeed. Want some rum?"

"No thanks…bandages would be nice, though."

"Hm….follow me." Turning, the pirate walked off, avoiding the crew and calling out various orders as he went. Rolling onto his side, Jack rubbed his aching head and went after him, ignoring the stares of the other men. He wasn't in the mood for small talk; getting treated was the only thing on his mind.

Kicking open a door, the captain strode through it, pausing only an instant to made sure it didn't hit Jack in the face. Stopping it with a hand, Jack entered the room and closed the door behind him, turning around to find the pirate digging through a weathered chest. Ducking as a pair of pants came his way, the time traveller edged along the wall, staying out of the line of fire.

"Aha!" Jack Sparrow cried, holding up a role of yellowing bandages. "Found them!" Rising, he walked over to Jack and gestured for him to sit on the bed. Feeling that this might be a bad idea, Jack obeyed, putting his back to the pirate.

Muttering curses aimed at the shark and the natives of Avonic Island, Sparrow unrolled the bandages and began to wind them around Jack's chest and back, making sure to cover all of the slashes. Wincing, the man tried to forget about the pain and listened to the creaks of the ship. He had gotten used to the rocking motion fairly quickly, remembering all the times he had been on a sailing ship. Those had just been for fun, but in this time, ships were the main mode of transportation.

"So…why did you come back for me? I figured you had left me for good." Jack asked, shifting position on the straw mattress.

"Well, since you're stuck here until that box comes back, ya need somewhere to stay. The Black Pearl is probably the best ship there is for that. Besides, those natives were gonna make you shark food, and I don't like seeing my friends eaten by big fish." Giving the bandages and final tug, he slapped Jack on the shoulder and said, "All done, lad. Feel any better?"

"A bit…" Feeling re-energized and mischievous, Jack decided to have some fun with his saviour. Turning around so that he faced the captain, he gave an innocent smile and pushed the older man backwards onto the mattress. Arching a dark eyebrow, the pirate muttered, "Well, yer just full o' surprises, ain't ya?"

"Yep." Conversation was forgotten and Jack leaned down and gave the man a deep kiss, breaking away only to breath. Feeling the pirate's arms around his neck, Jack shifted so that he was laying almost on top of Sparrow. Wrapping his own arms around the man's neck, Jack moaned slightly and gave a passionate kiss.

Grunting the pirate raised himself up on one arm and smiled at Jack. "The only reason you're not tied up is because you're hurt…remember that."

"Aye, captain!" Lowering himself again, Captain Jack kept one arm around the younger man's neck, trailing his other hand down his back and stopping at his butt. Caressing it slowly, Sparrow pulled away slightly and reached up and stubbed out the lantern. Blinking in the sudden darkness, Jack gasped as the pirate pulled him down and started to kiss his throat, moaned very softly. Chuckling, Jack sat up and started to undo the buttons on the captain's vest, Sparrow slipping it off when it was open. The he started in on the shirt, groaning as the man's lips made their way down his body.

Realizing that both men would have to move to get anything else off, Jack sighed and started to pull away. He was stopped suddenly by a sharp tug at his throat. Sparrow had grabbed into the piece of quartz, preventing Jack from moving without choking himself. He was then pulled gently downwards, until his head was resting on the pirate's bare chest. Feeling a hand ruffle his hair, Jack idly wondered why the man had stopped him.

"You don't move away unless I say so, savvy?" the pirate growled gently, squeezing Jack's butt with his other hand.

"Savvy." the time traveller muttered in reply, moving both hands down Sparrow's chest and landing on his belt.

- - -

On deck, several crew members were staring at the captain's cabin, listening with awe to the sounds within. Turning to his partner, one muttered, "Wonder wot's goin' on…"

"No idea…don't want to know…" replied the second as particularly loud groan issued from the cabin.

Hearing footsteps running up from the stern, both men jumped guiltily and turned around to face the newcomer. Panting, the pirate, pointed back at the end of the ship, finger shaking slightly.

"Somethin' is followin' us! A big ol' fin is stickin outta the water just off the stern!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: High Seas

Jack opened his eyes and sat up, blinking in the bright morning sun that streamed in the cabin window. Remembering the events of the previous night, he smiled. Although he was still very sore, Sparrow had been relatively gentle compared to the natives. Slipping out of bed, Jack spied a pile of clothes thrown onto top of a empty barrel. Picking them up, he realized that Captain Jack must have left them out for him. How considerate.

Fully dressed, he pushed open the door and walked out onto the bustling deck. Several men were scrubbing various parts of the ship, while others mended sails, ropes, and other equipment. Others were just sitting around, dozing. Wondering where the captain was, Jack mounted the short flight of stairs and scanned the deck. Not finding him, he turned around and looked up.

Standing at the helm was the handsome pirate. One hand was resting on the wheel, the other holding the compass that Sparrow had used before to find the ship. The only change in his appearance was that he had donned a brown sea coat, which was hanging open.

Snapping the compass closed, the captain glanced down at Jack and smiled. "Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, lad." Gesturing towards the end of the boat, he added casually, "There is somethin' there you might want to see."

Curious, Jack strode towards the stern of the Black Pearl and glanced over the railing. At first, all he could see with the churning wake of the ship, but something else caught his eye. Jutting out of the water was a large white fin, which appeared to be following the ship. Brown eyes widening, he leaned father out and scanned the water beneath the fin. From this distance, all he could see was a very long and wide white shape.

"Damn…." the time traveller muttered, realizing instantly that the shark was still after him. So much for a relaxing voyage…Hearing boots on the wood behind him, Jack turned slightly and saw that Captain Sparrow had joined him. Turning back to the fin, Jack sighed and wondered what to do next. Obviously, the masked English man had sent Sha-Sha after him, hoping that the fish would feast on his body when caught. Unfortunately, Jack was aboard the fastest ship in the Caribbean, at the appeared all the shark could do was keep up.

"Do you know what that is?" Sparrow asked softly, leaning over Jack's shoulder. Catching the faint smell of run mixed with seawater, Jack breathed in deeply before answering. "Yeah, it's called Sha-Sha, and it's a huge white shark. That fish is after me."

"That could be a problem then." Captain Sparrow mused, bright brown eyes gazing at the fin. "Ya'see, with that after us, we can't land in any port. We have to deal with it."  
"Ok then, let's get started on a plan." Turning around, Jack saw the surprised look on the older man's face and grinned. Ducking out from underneath Sparrow's arm, the time traveller started down the stairs, heading towards the cabin he had spent the night in. Jack Sparrow, after a moment of wondering what was up, followed the younger Jack into the small room.

Shutting the door behind him, Sparrow turned around to find Jack leaning against the wall, a calculating look in his eyes. Jack Harkness was deep in thought, trying to figure out the best way the beat the giant shark without killing himself or any of the crew. So far, he was drawing a blank.

Glancing up at the pirate, Jack asked, "Any ideas? Mine all end with someone other than the shark dying." Tugging at his beaded goatee, the captain stared thoughtfully at the floor for a minute, then shrugged. "Ya could try to harpoon the fish, but getting out to it without being eaten is the only problem…"

"Harpoon?" Brow furrowing in confusion, Jack racked his brains trying to figure out what a harpoon was. Being from the future, the man wasn't familiar with weaponry from this time period. If only the Doctor was here…Giving himself a metal kick, he told himself that he could get out of this without the Doctor's help. He had survived before he had met the Time Lord, and he would do so when they parted ways. Was he becoming soft?

Realizing that Sparrow was staring at him, Jack raised his gaze and smiled in a charming way. He was sick of having other people tell him things; he was going to stand on his own two feet from now on or die trying. "A harpoon…oh yes, that would work nicely." Jack lied with a smile, taking a step towards the pirate. "Do you have any aboard?"

Grunting. Jack Sparrow nodded and pulled open the cabin door. Sticking his head out, he roared, "All right, ya sea dogs, do somethin' useful and bring me the best harpoon we have!"

"Aye, Captain!"

- - -

"Uh…" Jack stood on the sunbathed deck, staring down at a harpoon. The thing was about three feet long, and was basically a big wooden stick with an arrow on a metal rod at the tip. On the other end was a length of rope. Well, not what he had expected, but it would have to do. Clearing his throat, Jack picked it up, testing it's weight. The harpoon was surprisingly light for it's size. Now, how to use this to kill Sha-Sha?

Smiling, the man turned around and faced Jack Sparrow and his crew. Hefting the harpoon, he said, "Alright, I think I can use this." Strolling casually past the group, he made his way to the stern of the ship and glanced over the rail. As expected the damn shark was still trailing the ship.

Placing the harpoon on the deck beside him, Jack leaned against the rail and though about how to kill it. The only solution he had come up with was that he face the shark himself, letting Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl escape. Sighing, he rubbed his temples, not happy with the idea. Sure, he didn't mind dying if it would mean that others would live, but to have not said goodbye to the Doctor and Rose…it didn't seem right.

The again, worrying about those thing wouldn't kill the shark, would they? Brown eyes opened and he glared at the white fin sticking out of the sea. Now as a good a time as any to try and slay the terror that was after him. Picking up the harpoon, he turned and went down to the helm where Jack Sparrow stood, one hand on the wheel.

"Captain, can you slow the Black Pearl down slightly? If I'm gonna kill that thing, I need to be able to hit it." The pirate was silent for a moment as he contemplated Jack's request. "Very well, lad, I'll do it. Need anything else?' Sparrow asked, walking away to check some rigging. Following him, Jack sighed and spoke again. "Yeah…if possible, I need to borrow a rowboat."

"Borrow, and bring it back? Or borrow and leave it for us to get?"

"Er…I was hoping you could get it…'cause I may not be able to bring it back…"

Trailing off, Jack shifted uneasily as touched on the point that he might be killed. Well, Sparrow was just going to have to accept that; the time traveller was going to do this alone, without endangering anyone else. Now he was starting to sound like the Doctor…

"Aye, take it then. And be careful!" Sparrow said, flashing Jack a warm smile. Adjusting his hat, the captain called out various orders, leaving Jack alone to perpare for his upcoming battle.


	5. Chapter 5

Note: There is a fair amount of violence and blood in this chapter, so beware if you have a weak stomach. Also, there is a 'Bad Wolf' reference in this chapter.

Chapter 5: The Ultimate Showdown

Jack stood on the rocking deck of the Black Pearl, harpoon in hand. He had stripped down to his boxers, giving Sparrow's clothes back to him. The man was waiting for the rowboat to be lowered down so he could get into it. The crew was standing around the deck, excited to see what was going to happen. Captain Jack was at the helm, gradually slowing down the ship.

The noon breeze made the sails flap and ruffled Sparrow's hair, and dried the sweat on Jack's face. Although he didn't look it, he was nervous about the upcoming battle. He was going head-to-head with a thirty foot great white shark who could swallow him with one bite. All he had was a wooden boat and a stick with a bit of sharp metal at the end. This was going to be tricky…

Seeing that the boat was in position, Jack sighed and headed over to it. Just as he was about to step into the small craft, a hand clamped down on his left shoulder. Smiling, the time traveller turned around and gazed up into Jack Sparrow's twinkling eyes. Leaning in close so that only Jack could hear him, he murmured, "Aim for the head of the shark. If possible, stay on it's back. Use this if ya need to." Still gazing into the pirate's eyes, Jack accepted the item that Sparrow pressed into his hands. Smiling fondly, the older man gave the stone around Jack's neck a playful tug and stepped back.

Raising his voice, Jack Sparrow said. "Alrighty lad, go send that shark to Davy Jones' Locker." Grinning, the younger Jack turned and stepped into the swaying boat, setting Jack's gift on the floor. Glancing at it, he chuckled and signalled to one of the crew to lower that boat.

The craft lurched then started to descend towards the ocean below. As he sank beneath the rail of the boat, he saw Captain Jack take off his hat in a salute. Giving a solemn nod in return, Jack lowered his gaze to the back of the boat. There, circling slowly, was Sha-Sha. Grinning at the evil fish, Jack steadied himself as the boat dropped into the sea. Unhooking the ropes that lowered it, the man picked up the oars and started to paddle out into the open sea. He needed to put some room between Sha-Sha and the Black Pearl. Watching the pirate ship pick up speed and sail off into the distance, Jack wrapped the rope attached to the harpoon around his right wrist, picked up the harpoon in that same hand, and stuffed Jack's present into the waistband of his boxers. Time to go fishing…

Watching the fin stop as the boat moved on, Jack took a deep breath as the shark spotted the his little rowboat. The fin sped towards him, then suddenly dipped beneath the waves. Blinking in confusion, Jack glanced around wondering why it had vanished. The he realized that Sha-Sha was going to attack him…from underneath.

Realizing that he had to move fast in order to escape becoming lunch, Jack dove over the side of the boat, swimming downwards rapidly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a large white mass rush past him, and the heard the crunch of wood as the white shark chomped down on the boat. Kicking his feet, Jack swam beneath the shark, watching as his only mean of transportation got smashed into kindling. Good thing he had moved…

Sha-Sha shook it's mighty head from side to side, spitting out the remains of the boat. Realizing that now was a good time to try and attack, Jack swam upwards along the shark's back. Grabbing a hold of the fin that had taunted him, Jack swung the harpoon though the water and slashed at the creature's neck region. He wasn't close enough to get at the head, but at least he could wound the thing.

As the steel point dug into the flesh of the shark, the fish convulsed in pain, shaking Jack off. Blood stained the water red as the shark thrashed about, the attacker barely avoiding the swinging tail. Needing air, Jack swam to the surface and took a deep lungful before plunging back into the ocean.

Angry at the human, Sha-Sha spun around and made a beeline for Jack. It could see the sunlight flickering off of the quartz stone around his neck, and the shark wanted to taste human blood. Prepared this time, Jack swam to one side, lashing out with the harpoon and making another long gash along the shark's ribcage.

Enraged by the smell of blood, Sha-Sha whipped around, it's tail hitting Jack square in the chest. Stars exploded in Jack's vision as he was tossed backwards, the air rushing from his lungs. It was then her realized just how bad the natives had treated him. The wounds on his back and shoulders opened up instantly, soaking the bandages within seconds. Still dazed from the blow, Jack dimly saw that the shark was coming straight at him.

The harpoon had been knocked out of his hand by the hit, but he still held onto the rope attacked to the end. Jerking the rope, he send the harpoon hurtling towards the oncoming fish. The tip embedded itself in the nose of the shark, causing Sha-Sha to veer upwards, dragging Jack along on the end of the rope. Desperately needing air, Jack was forced to let go of the rope and make a retreat to the surface.

Popping out of the water, Jack took several deep breaths, wincing at the pain in his back. He main weapon was unusable at the moment, so that left Sparrow's gift. Pulling the small item out of his waistband, he grinned. Seeing the blurry outline of the shark beneath the waves, he took a deep breath and dove down to meet his enemy.

Holding the item in his left hand, he charged towards the angry shark, watching the blood pour from the two wounds he had inflicted. If he had his way, there was soon going to be a whole lot more. Sha-Sha still had the harpoon sticking out of it's nose, making it look quite comical. As the Sark opened its' jaws to swallow Jack, the time traveller stopped and reversed direction, swimming up and slightly above the path of the fish. As the end of the harpoon went by, Jack reach out and grabbed it, yanking the weapon out of the shark. Confused by the fact it's prey had vanished, the shark slowed down, allowing jack to stab the blade into the skull of the giant fish. Blood gushed from the wound, and jack held on for dear life as Sha-Sha tried to fling him off and get rid weapon sticking out of it's head.

Making his way down the harpoon shaft, Jack stepped onto the broad head of the shark. Sha-Sha was thrashing about, but by keeping a firm hold onto the harpoon, Jack found he could stay on. Narrowing his brown eyes, he wrapped and arm around the wooden pole and freeing up his right hand. Meanwhile, she shark had started to dive towards the ocean floor, and Jack felt his ears pop.

Grasping the object with both hands, Jack pulled and grinned at the result. Now if only this shark would slow down…Sticking part of the item back into the waistband, Jack grabbed onto the pole again and took a step forward. Feeling the change in weight, the white shark shifted direction, moving from going down to moving straight ahead. Not exactly the result he had wanted, but at least he was on a level surface. Feeling the effects of a lack of air, the man knew he had to finish this fast, or risk getting killed.

Mentally thanking Captain Jack for giving him a dagger, Jack raised his left arm up, the blade glinting in the red haze that surrounded the pair. Estimating where the brain of Sha-Sha was wasn't that hard; for a creature as big as this one, it would have a larger than normal brain. Narrowing his eyes, Jack plunged the sharp dagger into the shark's skull, hitting exactly where the brain was located. Fresh blood spilled out of the fatal wound, turning the water around them a deeper shade of red.

As it's movements slowed, Jack wrenched the harpoon out of the shark, swimming towards the surface. Beneath him, the shark rolled over and sank, leaving a red trail in it's passing.

- - -

"Doctor, now what are going to do?" Rose asked her companion as the ship they were riding on drifted up to a warf. After the TARDIS had malfunctioned, leaving Jack behind, the Doctor had spent the next couple of days attempting the remedy the situation. So far, they had fixed the TARDIS and had landed back in the same area where they had left Jack. Unfortunately, all they had found was a burned-out campfire, some rope, a rowboat, and a lot of footprints.

Telling Rose to go back to the TARDIS and stay there, the Doctor had left in boat, heading for the next island over. He had been gone the better part of the day, and had returned near sundown. Even when she had questioned him, the Time Lord had refused to tell her what he had seen, said that it wasn't important.

They had left the island behind, opting to hide out on a pirate island known as Tortuga, and had boarded a ship to go search for Jack. After several days of finding nothing, they had returned aboard the Mau Lobo, a ship manned by Portuguese pirates.

Turning to look at her, the Doctor gave a tired smile and spoke. "We'll find him, even if we have to spend a while here. I'm not leaving him behind." Gazing out at the busy docks, he closed his bluish-grey eyes and sighed. The Doctor blamed himself for not noticing that something was wrong with the TARDIS. Of course, he hadn't told Rose about his feelings, knowing that she would worry even more.

As the gangplank was put in place, the Doctor headed over and said goodbye to the ships' captain, thanking him for allowing to strangers aboard. The man brushed off the thanks, saying that it was the least he could do. After all, the Doctor had helped him shake off a British naval vessel.

Leaving the ship behind, the pair made their way to where they had parked the time machine. Knowing that a blue box would stick out in this place, the Doctor had hidden it behind a run-down shed. It was times like these that he wished the TARDIS still had it's shape-changing abilities…

As they passed a band of drunken pirates, the Time Lord turned to Rose and said sternly, "I'm going to go gather some more information. You go straight back to the TARDIS. Don't wander off!" Making his point by shaking his finger at her, the spun around and headed in the direction of the nearest tavern.

Rose sighed as she watched him walk off, wondering why she couldn't go too. Shrugging, she lifted up her skirts to avoid a large mud puddle and made her way back to the TARDIS. Rounding the side of the dilapidated shed, the girl froze as she saw someone standing in front of the time machine. Since the figure was in the shadows, Rose could only make out that he wore a overcoat and a three-cornered hat.

Realizing that she had to go find the Doctor, Rose turned to go but paused when a voice said. "Tis alright, lass. I ain't gonna hurt you." Turning back around, the girl eyed the stranger warily, wondering what he wanted. The man took a step forward, moving into the light. He wore a brown sea coat of some sort, a ragged vest and shirt, black pants, and heavy boots. Atop his head was a three-cornered hat which covered up a bandana and his tangled hair.

Smiling, the pirate nodded encouragingly. "See? I'm harmless." On closer inspection, Rose realized it was true. He had no weapons on him that she could see, and he didn't appear to want to attack her. "Alright…Who are you?" the teen asked, relaxing slightly.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl. Who might you be, lass?"

"Nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Rose Tyler" Rose found it strange to be calling another person Jack, but she supposed that it was a common name.

"Grand. Now, might you know a man by the name of Jack Harkness?"

"Yes, I do know him. He is a close friend of mine. Do you know where he is?" Rose said, a feeling of excitement coming over her. This man might help her and the Doctor find Jack!

"Aye…well, sort of…" Sparrow replied, a downcast expression on his face. "But never mind that. I'll go grab your companion and we'll go find him. Savvy?"

Ignoring the sadness in his voice, Rose nodded at the suggestion. She missed Jack terribly, and hoped he was alright. As Jack Sparrow motioned for her to follow along, they turned and headed back towards the docks.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Sands of Time

As Jack clung to a board from the totalled boat, he thought about his past experiences. He had faced death many times and walked away unscathed, but this time was different. When had had still been with the Time Agency, Jack had worked alone, relying on himself and his abilities to get the job done. Even after he had lost two years worth of memories, the man had still traveled alone, having no family to go back to and not caring to gain a companion.

But this was a new situation for the time-hardened warrior. He had friends he could trust and rely on, people who would be there for him no matter what. Jack was certain now that the Doctor and Rose hadn't stranded him here. They were out there somewhere, searching with all their might for him. He would find a way to get back to them.

As the sun beat down on his still form, Jack swallowed hard, his mouth and throat bone dry. Water, water, all around, and not a drop to drink…Was Jack Sparrow ever going to come and get him? Then again, something might have happened, or the pirate thought he was dead. He hoped that a ship of some sort would pass by and pick him up, since he was hot, very sore, and dehydrated.

Wearily lifting his head up, he scanned the blue horizon for any sign of a sail. Seeing nothing, Jack sighed and dropped back down onto the board. Night was coming on, and he hadn't had anything to eat since early morning. As if to remind him of this fact, his stomach rumbled loudly, demanding to be fed.

Groaning softly, Jack laid his head on his hands and gazed out at the endless expanse of blue water. It was a lovely sight, and Jack realized once again why he loved Earth so much. This planet was home to thousands of amazing creatures, and the scenery was unmatched anywhere else in the galaxy. Other planets were also very beautiful, and had exotic life forms, but Earth was the only planet Jack truly felt at home with. Even in the 51st century, his own time, the steel vistas and the sprawl of metal that made up the human race had it's own unique charm to it.

Brown eyes closed as Jack drifted on the waves, lost in the memories of time. Images of Rose, the Doctor, and Jack Sparrow flowed through his mind, blurring together to finally form a black abyss into which he gratefully fell.

- - -

Bluish-grey eyes opened and landed once more on the sleeping profile of Rose. The Time Lord's thoughts were a going around in a circle, like an endless wheel travelling the road of his mind. The spokes of the wheel were made up of four things: his worry about Jack, curiosity about the period they had landed in, the slight fascination he had for pirates, and his displeasure at Rose.

The last thought was the most irritating. He had told Rose not to wander off, but she had done exactly that. Humans…he couldn't always live with them, but there were times he couldn't live without them, either. For many, many years, the Doctor had travelled through time and space with humans, expanding his knowledge of the universe along the way.

Closing his eyes once again, he imagined a pendulum swinging. His thoughts just kept going back and forth, back and forth, much like how a pendulum moved when swung. He was giving himself a headache…

Rubbing his temples, the Doctor sighed and glanced once more at his companion. At least Rose was safe, and she appeared to be sleeping soundly despite the rocking motion of the ship. He knew that last number of days must have been trying on her, but she hadn't complained, not once. The closest she had gotten to pestering him was when the Time Lord had returned from his reconnaissance mission to the island. Not wanting to scare her, the Doctor had brushed off the question, saying that he had found nothing of interest…which was a complete lie. Oh, he had found plenty of things at the island, things which would haunt his dreams for decades to come.

- - -

The Doctor had told Rose to head back to the TARDIS, fearing that whatever had attacked the small island was still around. Indeed, there had been quite an fight, and whoever was here had put up quite a struggle before getting carted off. All the footprints had led towards the water, where an abandoned rowboat sat at the ready.

He had rowed over to the adjacent island, alert for any sign of danger. All he had heard were the calls of a few birds and the rustle of the wind in the trees. Landing on a sandy beach, he pulled the boat above the high-tide mark and set out to search the island.

Finding a well-trodden path through the jungle, the man cautiously walked down it, emerging in a large clearing after a few minutes. Blinking in the sudden sunlight, the Doctor gasped at what he saw. Dead bodies were spread everywhere across the space, hundreds of flies buzzing over the decaying corpses. Many were on the ground, covered in blood. On closer examination, the Time Lord found that they had multiple stab wounds, probably made by spears at close range. Others were tied to posts or trees, and unlike their counterparts beneath them, these men had been clubbed to death.

Feeling sick at the stench of the bodies and the ever-present blood, the man moved on, leaving the clearing behind. Continuing down another worn track, the Doctor noticed he was going up a fairly steep incline. All around him where brightly-coloured exotic flowers, providing a sharp contrast between the dark green of the trees.

Breaking out of the trees, the Time Lord sighed as he caught the smell of blood on the wind. More death, more dead bodies. Oh how he hated tasks like these…Advancing up the hill, he passed a few more prone figures, spears sticking out of their bodies. Reaching the top, he resisted the urge to gag as he saw the rows upon rows of cages that lined the cliff he was on and the one opposite. Most of them had the remains of what the Doctor suspected were once people in them, but it was impossible to tell now.

Closing his eyes, the man faintly heard the sound of water lapping against rock. Although his hearing far exceeded that of any human, he was on top of a cliff. Why was he hearing waves? Striding forwards towards the edge, he noticed a slight depression on one side. Curious, he moved closer and saw that it was in fact a very rough set of stone stairs leading down.

Descending down the handmade steps, the Doctor noticed that the sun was slowly slipping from view as he went further down. He assumed that the bottom of the cliff would be shaded completely from the light above. Interesting.

Reaching the bottom of the cliff, he hopped down the last few steps, resigned to the fact that there was probably more bodies awaiting him. Raising his gaze from the stone that made up the cliff bottom, the Doctor sighed as his point was proven. This time, the corpses were different. There was only about twenty bodies, and each one was flat on his back, arms by their sides. All had their throat slit, but none had appeared to struggle with whoever had killed them.

Also, all of the bodies where laid out in two straight lines, ten to a side. They formed a gruesome corridor that led straight to the water. Walking over to one of the men, the Time Lord noticed that all the bodies were fresh; there were no flies or other insects swarming around them. Crouching down, a flicker of light caught his eye. Storm-coloured eyes narrowed, he leaned closer and saw that the man wore a leather collar with a crimson stone attacked to it by means of a piece of rope.

Digging around in and inside pocked of his leather jacket, the man pulled out his trusty sonic screwdriver. Flicking on the device, he scanned the object and read the readings.

"Crimson quartz? What's so important about a bit of quartz?" he muttered, stowing the sonic screwdriver back in its place. Standing up, he picked another random corpse and did the same thing. Finding the same results, he stood up and did a general scan of all the bodies. Each and every one had a small piece of blood-red quartz tied to a leather collar. One question was burning a planet-sized hole in the Doctor's mind: **_why?_**

Why did everyone have a stone tied to them? What was it's purpose? Symbolic? Ritualistic? Status? Recalling something he had noticed but dismissed while gazing at the caged prisoners, he frowned. All of then had had similar collar, but they had been wearing clear stones probably made of rock quartz.

Puzzled but the stones, the Doctor tried to find a connection between the prisoners and the dead natives. He sensed that he was missing an important piece of information, so he shoved the problem to the back of his mind. Yet another puzzle to be solved later.

Turning to face the water, the Doctor walked down the passage created by the cadavers. Reaching the lip of the stone slab, he gazed into the deep waters of the channel, and turned pale. At the bottom of the chasm was a ring of black stones with a stone pillar in the centre. The column was laying on its side, and tied onto it was a human. At least, the sonic screwdriver identified the remains as human. Hanging from the man's face was a hideous mask make out of human bones. Turning around, the Doctor followed the path of the corpses, lining up the bodies with the position of the pillar.

From what he could tell, the ends of the pillar lined up with the necks of the bodies. Turning on the sonic device once more, he scanned the stone, and stared at the results. The pillar was made of a mixture of amethyst, rose and citrine quartz, resulting in a pillar that was purple, pink, or amber coloured depending on the light. The pillar also had a very strong negative polarity, or minus charge. The ring of stones had a charge of some sort, but it wasn't negative or positive.

Turning around, the Time Lord scanned the rows of dead natives once again. Frowning, he double-checked the results and scratched his head. The cadavers were emitting a strong positive polarity from the quartz stones attached to their necks. Closing his eyes, the Doctor imagined how the pillar had gotten into the water. The man had been tied to the pillar or had attached himself to the column, and had somehow made the black stones levitate around the pillar.

The pillar would have shifted onto it's side and moved over to the first set of dead natives. The opposite charges of the quartz would have repelled each other; making the pillar bounce to the next pair, kept airborne by the neutral stones around it. This pattern would have been repeated all the way down the line, ending with the pillar and black stones plunging into the water and sinking to it's current resting spot. But why had all the other natives been killed? Why kill everyone, then sacrifice yourself? What did this all **_mean_**?

Realizing that he wasn't going to find any answers here, the Doctor made the lonely journey back to the rowboat, arriving back at the TARDIS and Rose


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Star light, star bright

Captain Jack Sparrow stood on the deck of the Black Pearl, gazing up at the stars overhead. From north to south, the sky was light up with a glittering blanket of light, brighter than the sliver of the moon that also graced the heavens. He was thinking about nothing in particular, just gazing upwards; letting his mind wander from one idea to the next. Even though the night was cool, his overcoat was slung over the railing behind him.

Eventually, his mind drifted onto the topic of that day's events. He had arrived at Tortuga, hoping to re-supply and find out any information on Jack Harkness' companions. He had been skulking around the more deserted areas of the pirate island when he had stumbled across a large blue box behind a run-down shed. Realizing that this was the same box that had appeared when Jack showed up, Sparrow decided to wait and see if it's occupants came back. Eventually, one did.

After convincing her that he could help, Captain Jack had led Rose back to his ship and lent her his cabin. After protesting that she was fine, the blonde had finally agreed and went to sleep there. Sparrow had then sent out several of his crew to search the bars on the island, with explicit instructions not to harm the man they were looking for. After about an hour's wait, a man had rushed onto the ship, demanding to see Rose. Jack had shown him in, and the stranger hadn't been seen since.

He crew had followed shortly afterwards, looking worn out. The captain had sent them off to bed, but had remained awake, waiting to see if anything happened with the ships' newest additions. Hearing the boat creak, he grinned in the darkness. Like his ship, Sparrow wanted to be back on the open water, looking for his missing friend.

Closing his eyes, he starting humming a pirate song, oblivious to the raised voices drifting from the cabin. Dawn was coming shortly, but the orange tinge on the eastern horizon only added to the beauty of the night. Oh, it was good to be a pirate!

- - -

Rose opened her eyes slowly and stretched, welcoming the fact that she was warm and in a relatively safe place. Sitting up, she smiled as she saw that the Doctor was leaning against the wall. Bright blue eyes scanned the cabin, taking in all the odds and ends that Captain Sparrow had left lying around. Her mother would probably have a fit if she knew Rose had slept in another man's bed…

Returning her gaze to the Doctor, her smile faltered as she saw the expression on his face. He was angry at her…Shifting uneasily, she decided to try and make peace with him; or at least find out why her companion was upset.

"Doctor…" Rose said, but was met with silence. The Time Lord was looking at the door, and his arms were crossed. Not a good sign.

"Um…Doctor…what's wrong?" The question was answered with a snort and he switched from looking at the door to glaring at the wall opposite him. The Doctor was also frowning.

After another minute of silence, the man finally spoke. "What part of 'don't wander off' didn't you get?" His voice was calm, but the Doctor's face told Rose that he was really upset.

"I didn't! I went straight back to the TARDIS like you told me."

"Then how did you get from there to here?"

"When I went back to the TARDIS, there was a man hanging around outside it. I was going to get you, but he then said he knew where Jack was. I…I figured it couldn't hurt to go with him and find out what he knew. Besides, he said he was going to get you…" Rose explained, trailing off as the realization of what might have happened hit her.

"Did you ever consider that he was lying? That he might to kidnap you?" the Doctor snapped, turned to face Rose and giving her an angry look. Raising his voice, the man continued. "He's a pirate, Rose! You don't trust pirates!"

"Yeah, well…you seemed perfectly fine to wander off unarmed and go look for Jack! What was I supposed to do? Sit in the TARDIS and wait? What if you never came back?"

That seemed to quiet the Doctor, but only for a moment. After a bit of reflection, he replied furiously, "_I_ know what I'm doing. You would have been safe in the TARDIS; and she would have known to take you home if anything happened to me. You, on the other hand, probably would have gotten yourself killed and it would have been my fault for not protecting you!"

After gaping at him for a minute, the teen realized that what the Doctor was saying was true. She had been in many dangerous situations in the past, but the Doctor had always been there to get her out of them. Lowering her head, she muttered, "I'm sorry Doctor…I never thought of it that way…"

"Of course you didn't! You stupid apes never thing about the consequences until after the fact!" Steel-blue eyes glared angrily at Rose for moment, then the Doctor sighed and looked at the wall again.

"Besides…Jack's gone, and it's all my fault-"

"Don't say that! You didn't know that the TARDIS was going to malfunction!" Rose cried out, staring at him.

Raising a hand, he silenced her and continued. "Besides, if anything ever happened to you…I…I'd never forgive myself." Turning towards the door, the Time Lord shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket and murmured, "Go back to sleep, Rose. We'll talk again later." That said, he headed out the door, leaving Rose alone. If he had looked back, he would have seen the look of shock and sadness on her face.

- - -

The Doctor stormed out onto the deck, still upset over the row he had just finished with Rose. Not that he appeared to be upset. Far from it, in fact. For all outward appearances, he seemed to be in a fair mood, except for the slight frown on his face. Glancing around, he found his bearings and strode over to the side of the ship that faced the ocean. Leaning against the polished wood of the railing, the Time Lord sighed and wondered once again why humans could be so stupid yet amazing at the same time.

He had walked right past the captain of the ship for the second time that night; this time not even bothering to say hello. He didn't trust the rugged pirate; even after his men had brought him to the ship. Hearing the men step up behind him, the Doctor sighed, rolled his eyes, and turned around to stare impatiently at the man.

Apparently not expecting the Doctor to react so fast, the pirate raised a dark eyebrow at muttered, "A bit jumpy, mate?"

"I'm the Doctor. You are…?" the man said roughly, ignoring the comment. He didn't feel like arguing with another human in the span of five minutes.

"Captain Jack Sparrow at your service, Doctor." the pirate replied with a smile, tipping his hat slightly.

"Right. What do you want?"

"Oh nothin' much…I figured since I'm going to let you travel on my ship, I might as well find out who my new crew members are."

'Really? Well now you know who we are. Go away." the Doctor snapped, turned back to face the ocean. He had been scared when several pirates had barged into the bar and had ordered him to accompany them back to their ship. The thought that Rose had gotten hurt flashed through his mind as he scurried after the two pirates, desperate to find out if she was alright.

The fear had turned to anger once he saw the Rose was fine and snoozing in the cabin of a pirate ship. The Doctor had been in a bad mood ever since. Ignoring the repeated attempts of the captain to start a conversation, he sighed with relief as the man finally wandered off. Switching is attention from the ocean to the twinkling stars overhead, the Doctor smiled and felt his mood lift slightly. He had visited many of the planets up there; and could name off most of their inhabitants. Once this was all over, he would take Rose and Jack to one of them. They would all need a long vacation after this little adventure.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Spinning Wheel

Revolving. Turning. Spinning. Rotating. All things start, and all things end. Life starts at birth, and ends at death. The time in between really means nothing in the end. Space is endless, but can be measured. Time is nothing; but means everything.

The spinning wheel that guides everything will never stop; it will go on forever. Spinning into the roaring future, holding onto the whispers of the past, the mighty wheel makes everything right again.

- - -

Circling down to meet the darkness, spiralling into death, the white shark twisted slowly in the endless waters of the deep ocean, faintly hearing the cry of it's master through the distance the separated them.

_"Sha-Sha, hear my plea. The majestic island that once was devoted to you is now defiled; and only the worthy are left. Take our power into you; let us join with the great legend of the seas!"_ As the life faded from it's body, the giant shark suddenly felt renewed, as if a great amount of energy was being poured into it. Eyes glowing red, the monster whirled around and let out a soundless roar, the wounds the human had inflicted healing over, covered with a stone-like substance. This time, it's prey would not escape!

- - -

Rose woke up slowly once again, feeling the morning sun shining on her. Sitting up, she brushed some wayward strands of hair out of her eyes and blinked sleepily. Remembering the argument, the girl sighed and flopped back down onto the pillow. Why did he always get so upset when she did something on her own? She knew that he cared about her and felt like he had to protect her, but still! Captain Sparrow had stayed true to his word, even though he was a pirate. Why did the Doctor always not trust any man she met?

"That's a mighty big sigh for a girl like you." Jerking upright, Rose stared at the figure sitting across from her. Jack Sparrow was sitting on a barrel, peeling strips of an apple with a dagger and grinning. Gaping at him for a minute, she managed to stammer, "W-what do you mean by that?"

Waving the dagger in an offhand manner, he explained. "Well, it seems to me that you have no reason to be unhappy…unless I missed something…." Trailing off the pirate blinked thoughtfully then shrugged. "Oh well. Say, you hungry?" Cutting another chuck out of the apple, the man twirled the dagger while he ate.

"Oh…um…yeah, I guess I am." Rose replied, smiling back at Captain Sparrow. Despite what the Doctor may think, she thought the pirate was quite nice. Strange, but friendly at the same time. Slipping out from underneath the warm covers, she then realized that she had fallen asleep in her dress. From the rocking motion of the floor, Rose guessed that they were probably out at sea. The Doctor wouldn't have risked bringing the TARDIS on board a ship, so she had no change of clothes. Just great.

Seeing her expression, Sparrow jumped down from the barrel and grinned. Kneeling down, he flung open a battered chest and started digging through it. As various articles of clothing were tossed over his shoulder, he called, "Want a dress, or something more practical?"

Dodging a belt, she replied, "Something practical please." In the past, dresses usually got in her way, and she wasn't the type for frilly things. The only reason that she had worn one to this time was to try and fit in. But now that she was in a confined area, something easier to move around in made more sense.

"Here ya go." Standing up, he handed her a pile of clothes and headed for the door. "I'll be at the helm. Come see me when you're done." Nodding, Rose waited until the pirate had shut the door firmly behind him before examining the clothes further. The pirate had handed her a pair of dark brown trousers, a white shirt, a belt, and a pair of black boots. This was practical.

- - -

A few minutes later, Rose stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck of the Black Pearl. Crewman scurried around, finishing up their various tasks, eating, or napping in the warm morning sun. Taking a plate filled with food that one of them offered, Rose smiled in thanks and looked around for Captain Sparrow. She didn't know a lot about ships of this time period, but had read enough to know that the helm was at the back of the ship. Since the cabin was near the end of the ship, that would mean the helm was nearby. Smiling slightly, she took a bite of the roasted meat and turned around, angling her gaze upwards.

Leaning against the railing was Jack Sparrow, hair blowing gently in the light breeze. His hat was planted firmly on his head, and despite the heat was wearing the brown overcoat she had first seem him in. Rose was suddenly struck at just how handsome he was. Mickey would be mad if he had heard Rose think that….Brushing the thought from her mind, the teen made her way up the short flight of stairs to stand beside the pirate.

"So…you said that you could help us find Jack. How are you going to do that?" She asked, digging into her newly acquired breakfast. Chuckling at her appetite, the captain waited until she had eaten enough so that she could listen to what her had to say.

"Well, first of all, _you'll_ be the one finding him. I'm just providing the means to get you there." Sparrow said, wagging a finger at her and grinning.

Swallowing, she replied, "Oh? And how am I supposed to do that?"

His grin grew wider as the pirate unclipped something from his belt. "With this!" Chuckling, he handed the item to Rose, allowing her to examine it. Setting her empty plate aside, she took the object from his tanned hand and inspected it.

It looked like a small box of some sort. Flipping the lid open, Rose stared down at a compass, it's needle spinning wildly. Raising a blonde eyebrow, she looked up at Jack Sparrow in disbelief. "How can a broken compass help me find Jack?"

"You see, that is no ordinary compass, lass. Instead of finding north, it finds whatever you most desire. In this case, you want to find your friend. Now concentrate and think about finding Jack!"

Rose sighed and closed her eyes, concentrating on an image of Jack. She also repeated _Where is Jack Harkness?_ over and over in her mind. Ignoring Sparrow as he slipped an arm around her shoulder and leaned closer, she kept up the silent chant, images of Jack flashing through her mind.

She kept it up for a few more minutes, finally hearing a small hiss of approval from the pirate. "Good job, Rose! We'll definitely find him now." Opening her eyes, the girl gazed down at the compass, watching as the needle pointed slightly to the northwest. The ship lurched slightly as Captain Sparrow made the course change, arm still slung over her shoulder.

"Er…where's the Doctor?" she asked, blue eyes gazing up at him.

"Sulking somewhere below decks, I reckon. Probably still upset about that fight." the pirate replied, solemnly, knowing better than to press the matter too much. Although he had ignored most of the fight, the man had caught the last bit.

"Probably." Rose sighed, remember the anger he had showed the night before. She had not made the smartest decision by following Captain Sparrow, but it had turned out alright in the end. At least, the teen prayed that it would.

- - -

Several hours later, Rose sat on the stairs leading up to the wheel, letting the sea breeze blow through her blonde hair. The Doctor still hasn't made an appearance, but she wasn't worried. She knew from experience that he would show up only when he was good and ready to, and not a second before.

Sparrow was still at the helm, but was only using one hand to steer, the other one grasping his trusty compass.

"Man overboard!" hearing the sudden call, Rose jerked her head up and focused on the pirate that was leaning over the railing, pointing at something in the water. Hoping that they had found Jack, she ran from her seat down to the growing group of men at the railing, pushing her way through to the front. Gazing over the wooden bar, Rose distantly heard the order from Captain Sparrow to lower a rowboat.

- - -

Gyrating. Whirling. Circling. Orbiting. All things must start, and everything that is started must eventually end. Life is nothing more than a giant circle, each death making room for a fresh life to begin, the cycle repeated endlessly throughout the ages.

The spinning wheel into which we are born guides us throughout our lives, and we follow it's path until our last breath. As the planets circle the sun, we will forever go around on the mighty wheel; spinning throughout time, leaving only whispers to mark our path.


End file.
